


You Had Him For a Moment

by Miss_Fallen



Series: FebuWhump 2021 [3]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, Bucky Barnes Feels, Damien Kent is a good boy, FebuWhump2021, Made him up in two seconds but I like him, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve has good friends, abc agencies, they were so close
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29234850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Fallen/pseuds/Miss_Fallen
Summary: Bucky comes home, just not for long.Day 3 - Imprisonment
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers
Series: FebuWhump 2021 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2146068
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	You Had Him For a Moment

Bucky came home. He didn’t have all his memories, but he’s  _ home _ .

Except he’s not.

The agencies decided to take him into custody even with the info dump of the files Natasha put onto the web. Apparently, he’s still too much of a danger for them to let him out in public. Several months have passed since the SHIELD/HYDRA incident, and Bucky was in public for all of it. There wasn’t a single incident where innocents got hurt. The only destruction that happened was done to HYDRA bases that Steve and his team didn’t get to. (They did leave more for him. What they got, Steve took down with extreme prejudice and might have scared the others some.)

Bucky showed up knocking on Steve’s front door one day in the early morning shortly after Steve got home from a run. Steve answered the door with nothing but a pair of sweats, still wet from the shower. Thank God he wasn’t holding the sandwich he made earlier, or he would have dropped it.

“Bucky.”

Bucky’s hair is still long, but it looks better-taken care of. He looks better-taken care of. It’s a relief to see he’s more filled out. His eyes are brighter, and his shoulders are lighter. God, it’s such a relief to see him back.

“Hey, Steve.” He opens his arms, and Steve pulls him in, letting his friend melt into what’s probably the first positive touch in decades. “I don’t have everything back, but I’ve got enough.”

“Wanna talk, and I’ll fill in the gaps?”

Bucky nods into Steve’s shoulder, “I’m missing a lot of the stuff from after they started wiping me. Don’t think anything had time to stick.”

Steve hums and leads Bucky into the house, sitting him on the couch while he gets snacks. They talk all day, Steve turning his phones off, so nothing interrupts him. If it’s essential, it’ll go through the do not disturb setting. They go through a lot of childhood stories and a few from the war. Steve gets another tongue lashing for the stupid shit he pulled back then, and it almost makes him cry. He never thought he’d feel this elated getting multiple lectures all in one go.

They get a few days to themselves, and it’s those days that the different agencies looking for Bucky finally catch up. Steve looks out his window to see people from various agencies after hearing shouting from outside.

Bucky slips up behind him, “Think they’re here for me, pal.”

“They shouldn’t.” Steve’s got a scowl on his face, scary enough to give Fury pause. Who Bucky met the second day after he came back. No hard feelings, thankfully. He likes the guy.

“You caused some public outcry before, do it again. I’m gonna get dressed and head out.”

Steve turns, “Buck...”

Bucky gives him a sad smile, “Let them have this. We can sit on the steps while we wait for them to figure out who takes me in.”

Steve goes out onto the porch in his PJs, plus pants, for some shock, “Think you’ve got the whole block looking at you with how much you’re shouting. Wanna tell me why you’re here?”

They all get real quiet fast. Guess seeing Captain America in a pair of PJ pants and a tank top leaning against the doorframe of his front door is enough to shut them up. It’s almost like they got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

It’s a younger agent that has the bravery to approach him. “I’m Damien Kent from OIA. We have reason to believe James Barnes is here.”

“You do?”

He leans in a bit, “Not by my own choice. I’ve seen those files, and I’d prefer to leave him with Captain America. Or Steve Rogers, a man he knows.”

“Just for that, I think he can take me in,” Bucky says, appearing suddenly with an arm on Steve’s shoulder. Which looks comical, considering Steve has a couple of inches on him. “This used to be more comfortable. Why’d you have to get so tall?”

Steve groans, “Don’t make me laugh. It’s gonna ruin my intimidation factor.”

“That’s the point, punk. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.” Bucky pats his shoulder and walks up to the young agent.

“How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” Steve’s face visibly falls and closes off, watching Bucky get into the OIA car. It makes the other agents look away, contrite. Damien looks Steve in the eye and gives him a nod before he gets into his car. He didn’t try to put cuffs on Bucky either; just let him get in the car on his own. Maybe the guy’s not so bad.

It doesn’t make it any easier to watch Bucky get taken away.

When they’re gone, his neighbors come up to him and offer up what comfort they can.

Later, Natasha and Sam show up with some of the others in tow. 

“You’ll get him back, Steve. While we wait, we’ll visit and make him hate us.” Sam knocks an elbow into Steve’s side.

Bruce is quiet, a steady presence at Steve’s side while Natasha and Sam make light of things. They all know they can’t keep Bucky, not when he’s considered a POW with significant torture and brainwashing done to him. It doesn’t make the separation any easier, but it allows for hope that Steve sorely needs.

**Author's Note:**

> I made myself sad here. Granted, that is the goal, but I felt it needed to be said.


End file.
